Stormclan Challenge: Such Innocence?
by Moonfeather24
Summary: That cat is so nice, how could they have done something so wrong? Is she really innnocent? Or is she guilty? Who killed the four kits? - a challenge for the Stormclan forum. - /forum/StormClan/130979/


_That cat has always been so nice, gentle and excitable, I can't believe she did that, or faked it._ The tom thought darkly.

It was moonhigh on the night of the half-moon. The cats of Stormclan stood in shocked and bedraggled groups around the dark clearing. A dark russet furred she-cat stood pinning another cat to the ground. The cat pinned to the ground was a dark gray tabby With white paws and blue eyes.

A mournful wailing could be heard coming from the nursery. The distraught pale silver queen had to be led away quietly as some warriors carried foul four limp bundles. The kits throats had been slashed and their eyes glazed over with death.

Tailfur, a pale brown tabby with amber eyes stood off to the side watching through narrowed eyes. His gaze was fixed on the terrified blue gaze of the pinned she-cat. The cat was Shade his mate. They had met two moons ago when she was still a kittypet.

The two of them would sit side by side on her fence and talk to one another about their daily lives. Her twolegs had suddenly left leaving Shade behind. Tailfur had taken her in hidig the she-cat away in a desolate part of the territory and taught her how to hunt. He made sure she had access to food and water. He remembered the excitement when she caught the first mouse.

"What did you do to our kits?!" The snarl interrupted his thoughts.

The russet she-cat, Berryfern had spoken. She was glaring furiously down at Shade ready to slit the rogues throat any moment. Near her stood a ginger furred she-cat. This was the newest warrior Shinefeather. Shaking violent thoughts out of his he barely missed hearing Shades frantic response off, "I don't know."

"Then explain why your here!" Shinefeather snapped green eyes flashing she had moved closer to Berryfern to help question.

Shade looked around wildly her gaze settling on Tailfur for a moment, "I came to join the clan!" She wailed.

"Lies! How did you find out about our clan?" Berryfern hissed angrily. The kits that had died had been her kin, so she was especially upset.

"Some rogue told me to avoid this part of the forest because of some crazy clan, but i was curious so i came," Shade spoke quickly, and Tailfur could see her eyes light up a bit at the thought of joining his clan.

A white tom with light silver stripes and long whiskers padded up. His wise green eyes stared down at Shade thoughtfully. Beside him his mate Moondapple, a dark grey she-cat, Looked down at Shade sadness glinting in her blue eyes.

Softstep, the dead kits mother, was Moondapples daughter, and his sister. Tailfur waited calmly to see what his father would say. Quickstar had supposedly rebuilt the clan afte a large wave wiped them out several moons ago; however, Tailfur has never once believed it.

"We will keep this cat prisoner for two sunrises. on the second sunrise we will question this cat. Tailfur will be her guard at night while Berryfern is her day guard. Shinefeather and Coalfoot will be guarding the nursery From now until sunhigh tomorrow then Blossomheart and Bluewish will take over. The prisoner will stay in the hawthorn bush over there. Now get to bed everyone," Quickstar meowed waving his tail.

_Perfect_! Tailfur thought with a slight smirk. _Now I can get rid of all my problems and clean my slate with Starclan! No one will ever find out that i was the one to kill the kits if i help Shade escape, and they won't know i took an outsider as a mate, or that she bears my kits!_

The tom began formulating an escape was aware of Shinefeather watching him suspiciously. He shot the ginger warrior an angry look before leading Shade to her short-term prison.

Shade stared at him confused as he shared his plan for her escape in a hushed voice. "Won't you come with me?" She asked when he finished.

"Of course not! I did not kill those kits for my plan of ruling this clan just to leave!" He spat scornfully fur bristling.

Shade's eyes widened like saucers, "you.. Killed your sisters kits?" she whimpered curling her fluffy grey tail around herself protectively.

"Yes!" Tailfur spat, "Now get some sleep, we leave at Moonrise tomorrow."

The rogue curled up in a whimpering ball. As she slept her dreams were filled of her crying kits being slaughtered by their father.

* * *

As the moon rose the next day, Tailfur and Shade were crouched in the Hawthorn bush. They had ripped a hole in the back that led out of camp. When the coast was clear the two cats slipped out of camp and pelted away towards the border.

"This is where we part ways," He meowed turning to his mate. A fake glint of saddness shone in his amber eyes.

"I am sorry about causing you trouble Tailfur," Shade murmured brushing against the stiff tom, "Will you ever tell them the truth?"

"No! Of course not!" Tailfur spat, "They must never know!"

The kits had been nearing their sixth moon, and becoming apprentices. Shinefeather was ready for her first apprentice, and was promised Mintkit, the only she-kit of the litter. If that had happened it was expected that Quickstar would pick the ginger warrior as the next deputy. Not wanting her to get it, he had killed the four kits mercilessly. Shade had then arrived to fimd him in a pool of blood. She had thought he tried to save the pathetic whelps. She had cleaned his fur murmuring apologizes, not realizing she would be blamed in his stead, the perfect cover story.

Saddness glinted in Shades eyes as she gazed at him, "Then this is good bye. I will teach our kits how to be great warriors like those of their fathers clan."

"i expect nothing less," Tailfur meowed with a hint of a snarl, "Now go! Head for Dreamclan's forest, the group of rogues there will help you i am sure."

"Then farewell Tailfur," Shade murmured before disappearing into the dark forest beyond.

On his way back, he ran into the deputy Bluewish. Before the blue-furred ahe-cat could ask him what he was doing his claws were slicing through her throat. He dragged the body to a stream and washed his paws of the blood and his scent from the body.

He picked up the limp cat and dragged her back to camp, a cover story of Shade killing Bluewish ready on his tongue. This was however, just another secret to add to the darkness of his cold heart where many of secrets lay untouched and Unknown to the world.


End file.
